Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
The inaugural edition of the newly-minted FIFA Intercontinental Cup will begin on September 22, with the competition set to feature a total of five matches.
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup is set to replace the FIFA Club World Cup, which will held once every four years featuring 32 teams from across the globe.
Doha to host Intercontinental Cup final
As reported by Arancha Rodriguez, Doha is all set to host the Intercontinental Cup Final. FIFA recognises the Qatar capital as the neutral venue in this competition.
Real Madrid will directly participate in the final, by virtue of being the European champions. The match will be played on December 18 and Doha has been finalised as the venue.
Real Madrid won the Champions League for a record 15th time last season by beating Borussia Dortmund in the final.
As a result, the club have secured direct entry to the final and will not have to go through the qualifying or playoff rounds.
For now, the competition will begin on Friday, with AFC Champions League winner Al Ain all set to take on OFC Champions League winners Auckland City.
The victors will take on CAF Champions League winners Al Ahli in Cairo on October 29.
The action then shifts to Doha, where 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores winners play CONCACAF champions Pachuca – a game titled the “The Derby of the Americas”.
The winners of these two games will then play each in the Challenger Cup three days later to earn a spot in the final against Real Madrid.
Fair to say, the new Intercontinental Cup could ease the burden on Real Madrid or any European champions, as it only requires them to play just one match, as opposed to playing multiple matches in the FIFA Club World Cup.
